


some things aren't for everyone to hear

by orphan_account



Category: Actor RPF, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia RPF
Genre: Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Mutual Pining, ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE ME NOW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 06:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8390746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: At the end of a very long day working on set, Rob finds Charlie still hanging out in the bar. Takes place around the filming of Sunny's ninth season.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I have very mixed feelings about this; on one hand, I think it turned out really well, but on the other hand, I feel like I'm MUCH too old to be writing RPF. For whatever it's worth, I found it very odd that there wasn't already Sunny RPF, so if it helps you sleep better, think of this as just my attempt to fill that gap for the sake of science.  
> If people enjoy this, I could possibly write more (and not just McDay-- I have a sneaking suspicion some of you would be interested in Robglenn); if not, then this was done in the name of science, and now that it's out of my system, you won't see anything else like this from me. In either case, feedback is appreciated.

Charlie is idly running through chords on the keyboard when Rob wanders into the room. The set is empty and the lights are off, save the ones that are actually part of the bar, leaving just the two of them in Paddy’s. Rob doesn’t say anything, doesn’t want to interrupt Charlie, so he just leans against one of the columns in the bar and settles in to listen. Even as hard as the pillar is, it’s still a welcome respite for Rob, who’s spent far too long today standing and walking around the set. Charlie briefly nods in his direction, but otherwise remains quiet. His song changes, though, turning a little softer and losing the frantic edge it had when Rob walked in.

“Is that for the Paddy’s Pub Song?” Rob asks, after spending a few moments longer indulging his desire to watch Charlie play. Charlie just grunts noncommittally in response. The melody changes again, becoming something familiar and jazzy. It takes Rob an embarrassing second to realize it’s the show’s theme song.

“Nah. Just messing around,” Charlie finally answers, looking up at Rob. He smiles, punctuating it with a flourish and a sudden key change. Rob huffs a laugh of his own in response. Really though, he’s just impressed that Charlie can keep hitting the right notes so effortlessly without even looking.

But then, Charlie’s always been like that. Good with his hands, quick on his feet.

It’s almost like Charlie senses on some level what Rob is thinking, because he suddenly blinks and the song falters for a moment. Then he recovers, and the song changes again. It’s dark and unsure now, but there’s something Rob recognizes in it, something that almost sounds longing.

Rob takes a step closer.

If Charlie notices, he doesn’t comment, his focus returned to the keyboard. With every step Rob takes closer to the keyboard, the notes sound that much harsher, that much more insecure.

Finally, Rob is practically hovering over Charlie and the keyboard, and Charlie sighs, lifting his hands from the keys and sitting them in his lap.

The ensuing silence between them feels completely oppressive to Rob. Part of him wants to say something, but he doesn’t know what that something would be, so he doesn’t.

For a long time, neither does Charlie. Then he breathes another quiet sigh and pushes back the stool to stand.

All at once, the spell is broken. He looks at Rob and then nods towards the open doorway out of the bar. Nodding back in understanding, Rob falls into step next to Charlie as they head off the set.

“It’s a shame we can’t use more of your stuff in the episode,” Rob comments as they start the walk down the hallway. It’s all but deserted; Rob idly wonders what time it is. Charlie just shrugs and laughs.

“It’s whatever, man,” he says easily, clearly unbothered by it. “There’s always the DVD outtakes.”

Rob chuckles and nods.

“Fair enough.”

A beat passes between them before Charlie continues.

“Besides,” he says, “some things aren’t for everyone to hear, you know?”

He turns to stare at Rob then, eyes dark and glittering in the low light of the empty hallway. It catches Rob off guard, and he suppresses a sudden urge to swallow.

“…Right,” he manages, just a second too late for his liking. He hopes against hope that Charlie won’t notice it, but damn him, he does, quirking an eyebrow and giving the smallest smirk as he turns his attention forward again.

Where Charlie is concerned, things like this happen too often for Rob’s tastes. They’ve known each other for—what, ten years now? Twelve? _Jesus_ , they’re getting old—in any case, long enough that things are seldom weird between them. But sometimes Charlie gives him this _look_ , or says things that seem designed to fall on Rob heavier than the rest of Charlie’s audience, and Rob wonders.

He doesn’t regret the way things turned out at all, of course; to his knowledge, neither does Charlie.

But that doesn’t stop Rob from wondering sometimes, especially when Charlie teases him this way.

Rob sighs and lags a couple steps, just enough so Charlie is now leading the way and leaving him to follow behind. Now out of reach of those piercing green eyes, Rob permits his tired mind to wander, finding solace in the vague static filling his head. And, if that static happens to include a few fuzzy images of Charlie pressing close to him, or leaning up on his toes to kiss Rob… Well, who cares? Rob’s had a long day, sue him. Some things aren’t for everyone to hear.

“Ah, shit,” Charlie mutters then, and Rob slowly leaves his reverie. While he was walking on autopilot, he and Charlie reached the door out of their stage, leading to the rest of the studio. It locks from both sides—something about extra security. Judging by the sheepish look he’s giving Rob, Charlie doesn’t have the key.

“Heeeey, Rob,” he starts, his voice teasing and just a little bit embarrassed. Rob sighs and rolls his tired eyes, but he can’t stop the small smile from creeping onto his face as he digs in his pocket for the key. Once he comes up with it, he steps towards the door, brushing against Charlie as he does. Personal space stops mattering when you’ve known someone twelve years, just like it stops mattering when you’re as tired as Rob is.

As he turns the key and the lock clicks open, Rob turns his head just enough to glance sidelong down at Charlie.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” he jokes.

Or at least, he thought it was a joke. But instead of laughing it off or telling him to shut up, like Rob expected him to, Charlie just blinks up at him. It’s a little hard to tell, between the dinginess of the lighting and his own fatigue, but Rob is almost certain he can see a slight flush creeping up Charlie’s face, beneath his freckles.

“I—“ Rob starts, trying to fix this, ready to blame it on the 19-hour day he just spent scurrying around set working, but before he can say anything else, Charlie takes his arms and pulls him closer as he steps back.

They end up pressed into the corner of the doorway, Charlie’s back against the wall, and some small part of Rob is gratified to learn that Charlie really _does_ have to lean up on his toes to kiss him.

All things considered, it’s not a great kiss, not least of which because Rob’s brain won’t stop screaming at him that _this is a horrible idea_. But to his fatigued nerves, rubbed raw by a long day’s work, everything feels electric, from the scratch of Charlie’s beard against his mouth to the small, hesitant hands still gripping his arms.

Against his better judgment, Rob lets his exhaustion get the best of him and crowds closer to Charlie, dipping his head to properly kiss him back. As he tips his own head up in response, Charlie makes a small sound in the back of his throat that Rob recognizes as equal parts indignation and approval. He can’t help but smile into the kiss at that, a smile that Charlie rewards with scraping teeth and a small, insistent tugging at Rob’s lower lip.

Rob’s first instinct at that is to push even closer, to let this really get out of hand, but that annoying voice telling him to _fucking STOP kissing Charlie_ finally gets through to him. He steps away reluctantly, sighing and running a tired hand through his hair as he stares at the ground. It’s only a little bit comforting to Rob that Charlie audibly whines when he pulls away.

For a long moment, they just stay there, Rob unwilling to look up at Charlie. When he finally does, he finds Charlie just staring at him, almost patiently.

Rob’s known Charlie long enough to know that patience is not something that comes easily to him.

“I… Charlie,” Rob starts again with a long sigh.

“Rob,” he answers, voice soft and even.

“This—“ Rob waves a hand between the two of them, inadvertently brushing against Charlie’s chest—“this is a really bad idea.”

Charlie nods, lowering his eyes.

“No, yeah. You’re right,” he agrees.

Rob nods back in response, but he can’t help but feel the guilt blooming out from his chest, poisoning every bone in his body.

“I was just—“

Charlie shakes his head, raising a gentle hand.

“Some things aren’t for everyone to hear, right?”

Rob blinks long and slow. Part of him, the vainest part, the _worst_ part, hoped Charlie would be overcome by emotion after what just happened. But Charlie is just looking patiently up at him, no trace of any kind of guilt (or want) evident in his expression.

“…Right,” Rob finally agrees. If Charlie’s giving him an out, he’ll take it.

Charlie nods one more time, then gently nudges Rob away from him. Realizing he’s still practically standing on top of Charlie, Rob hurries to take a step back. Once he’s not cornered anymore, Charlie calmly steps forward and turns the door handle, letting the fluorescent lighting of the main hallway stream into their own abandoned hall.

“After you,” Charlie says, holding the door open for Rob. He takes an uncertain step through the doorway, turning around to watch as Charlie follows him. Charlie hovers at the door handle a moment longer, and only when he hears a click does Rob realize he left the key in the lock. Charlie hands it to him as they resume their walk out of the studio.

They’re quiet far too long for Rob to feel comfortable. Finally, he can’t resist opening his mouth.

“So… Are we going to talk about this?” he asks. Charlie sighs in response; it’s the first sign Rob’s seen that maybe he isn’t the only one fucked up by what just happened.

“We really probably shouldn’t,” Charlie answers. He still sounds chipper, but when Rob glances over at him, his shoulders are sagging.

“You’re not gonna make things weird, though, right?” he asks a moment later. His voice is suddenly very small, and his eyes are big as he turns to look up at Rob. Rob immediately shakes his head, so quickly that he almost doesn’t let Charlie finish the question.

“Dude, no way. After all this time?” Rob actually manages a light chuckle at that. “This won’t be weird. You’re like, my best friend, Charlie.”

Charlie perks up at that, that perpetual grin of his inching its way back across his face.

“Thanks, Rob.”

Rob smiles down at him—and then, just to piss him off, reaches down to ruffle Charlie’s hair. Charlie immediately yells in protest and starts swatting at him, but he’s laughing the entire time.

Once they’ve finally stopped horsing around and resumed their long walk out of the studio, Charlie says quietly, “It’s nice to finally know, though, right?”

Rob huffs a small laugh and smiles down at Charlie.

“Yeah.”

Charlie smiles back up at him.

If he lets his gaze linger on Charlie a little too long after that, Rob thinks, it’s only because he’s tired.


End file.
